Frank w



F. W. ROBINSON.

STRIPING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I4, I9I9.

, 1,357,254, Famed Nov. 2,1920.

@I l y l j Hay/2k W Ha/7.75012,

j UNITEDA STATES PATENT ori-ital FRANK W. ROBINSON, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 THE NOITDE & HORST CO., OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA, A. CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

STRIPING- MECHANISM FOR KNITTING-MACHINES.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANK W. ROBINSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at the cityof Reading, in thecounty of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Striping Mechanism for {nitting- Machines, of which the following is a specification. 10

My invention relates to circular knitting machines comprising suspended stripingthread fingers and means for imparting needle-engaging swings to said fingers; and it consists in the improved mechanism for limiting such swings which is fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings and the novel features of which are specifically pointed out in the subjoined claims.

Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved striping attachment with its relation to the known knitting machine structure very siirIiply indicated. v

ig 2 is a sectional plan view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 a similar view 0n the line 3-3 thereof.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing several adjacent fingers and swing-limiting means operative thereon respectively above and below their points vof suspension; the small dotted circles indicating different positions to which the upper finger stops may be adjusted.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are diagrammatic views indicating the respective eects of adjusting the upper swing-limiting mechanism to the several positions indicated in Fig. 4.

The drawing indicates the usual circle of knitting needles 3, and agfixed machine bracket 4 carrying a centrally depending post 5 to which the suspension plate 10 for the striping-thread carrier fingers 11 is secured. Each of these fingers is independently suspended in a socket bearing 12 on said plate, and is arranged to have a needleengaging swing imparted to its free threadguide end 13; this being eii'ected, as shown, by an operating cam 14 set to contact with rollers 15, 16 on anarm 17 and a branch arm 19 respectively of each spring-tensioned finger, in the manner Jfully set forth in my prior Patent No. 1,203,131, issued October 31, i916.

My improved construction as shown, employs a closely arranged circular series of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

Application mea April 14, 1919. Y serial No. 289,844.

striping-thread fingers 11 so as to enable the simultaneous forming of a large number of parallel stripes, and in connection therewith, swing-limiting means which permit of advantageously varying the stripes notwithstanding close spacing oi the fingers.

Each of the fingers employed is provided with an upward extension 25 beyond its pointv of suspension in socket bearing 12; said extensions varying however, on adjacent fingers as shown in Fig. 4, where the extension of the middle finger is made longer than the adjacent ones and is also formed with an enlarged end portion 26 and a reduced portion 27 below the latter, either of which portions is adapted to coperate with the movable swing-limiting mechanism hereinafter described.

To provide for securing variability of the needle-engaging swings of the fingers whereby a complete series of uniform stripes or differing stripes in determined groups may be produced, I employ coperatively separate swing-limiting mechanisms acting respectively upon the lower portions of the lingers and upon the dierent upward extensions 25 thereof. The lower swing-limiting means comprises oppositely extending finger stops 30, 31 secured in independently adj usted positions between adjacent fingers 11, 11, so as to respectively limit the swing of the latter toward the rigid 'stop-support 32 which is lo- 'cated between said fingers. These stop-supports 321 as shown, form inverted posts on the suspension plate 10, depending between each finger and the adjacent ones on either side, so that the swing of each finger in each direction may be accurately limited as desire'd by independent adjustment of the respective stops 30, 31.

The separate swing-limiting mechanism which operates upon theV finger extensions 25, comprises a stop-carrier ring 35 centrally mounted above the suspension plate 10 and vertically adjustable by means of a suitably operated carrier arm 36. Radiating spokes 37 on this ring, extending between the finger extensions 25, are each provided with independently adjustable oppositely extending stops 38, 39 adapted to contact with the upper portions of said extensions so as t0 limit the finger swings as determined by the separate setting of said stops 38, 39, and their joint positioning by adjustment of the movable carrier ring 35; the lower Aswinglimiting stops 30, 31 however becoming elective as determined by the adjustment of said rino' 35, as will be understood by reference to lligs. 4 to 7.

Fig. 4; shows the lower finger-stops 30, 3l liXedly set as required to produce determined needle-engaging swings whenever the lingers, or certain of them, are uncontrolled by the upper linger-stops 38, 39 of the adjustable carrier ring 35. rlhe latter is shown in an intermediate osition; but small circles 38a, 39L above,'and 38", 391 below, indicate other positions to which the attached lingerstops are jointly moved by adjustment ol the carrier ring 35.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 indicate diagraminatically the several needle-engaging swings produced by theupper, intermediate and lower adjustnicnts respectively of the carrier ring 35 as indicated in Fig. a; Fig. 5 showing that no swing is imparted to the middle linger, while the swing ol" the adjacent linger is limited only by the lined lower stops 30 31; Fig. G also showing no swing imparted to the middle linger, but the swing olf each adjacent nger reduced to a minimum; and Fig. showing medium swings imparted to the outer lingers as determined by the upper stopsfwhile the swing of the middle linger is limited only by the lower stops therefor.

It will be readily understood that a l'urther upward adjustment of the carrier-ring 35 would `leave all the needle-engaging linger swings under lcontrol of the lower stops alone; that dillerent formations of the upward linger-extensions 25 would vary the swinging ellects particularly set forth; and that proper adjustment ot the carrier ring 35 during the knitting of a striped fabric enables the production ol' desired ornamental breaks or variations in the several stripes. The construction specifically set 'orth may be readily inodilicd within the invention as delined in the claims.

that l claim is l. A circular knitting machine comprising a circular series ot independently suspended striping-thread carrier lingers each of which has an upward extension beyond point of suspension; means lor imparting needle-engaging swings to the thread-guide ends of said lingers; and separate means for limiting vsaid needle-engaging swings operative upon said lingers respectively above and below their suspension points.

2. il. circular knitting machine comprising a circular series of independently suspended striping-thread carrier lingers each of which has an upward extension beyond its point of suspension; means for imparting needleengaging swings to the thread-guide ends of said lingers; means operative upon said lin- .gers below their suspension points for determinedly limiting their needle-engaging swings; and means operative upon said nngers above their suspension points lor dir"- ferently limiting their needle-engaging swings; said last-named means being movable to operative or inoperative position.

3. A circularl knitting machine comprising a circular series ol independently suspended striping-thread carrier lingers each of which has an upward extension beyond its point olZ suspension such extensions having varied cross-sections; means for imparting needle-engaging swings to the threadguide `ends of said lingers; and stopping means adjustably operative upon different points of said upward linger extensions to dcterininedly limit the needle engaging swings.

4. A circular knitting machine comprising a circular series of independently suspended striping-thread carrier lingers each ot which has an upward extension beyond its point oi suspension but said extensions being dillerent; means for imparting needle-engaging swings to the thread-guide ends of said lingers; and stopping means lor limiting said swings which are jointly movable longitudinally ol' said extensions to vary the limiting contact therewith.

A circular knitting machine comprising a cir ular series Voie independently suspended striping-thread carrier lingers; mea-ns for imparting needle-engaging swings to the thread-guide ends of said lingers; and rigidly supported posts depending between adjacent lingers and each provided with separate stops tor limiting the swing of the respective needles toward said post, said stops being rigidly fixed to said posts in transversely adjustable relation thereto.

ln testimony whereof l allix my signature.

FRANK W. ROBlllSUN.` 

